Outage underlines internet needs

One day without the internet doesn’t seem like that big of a deal until it happens to you.

Last Thursday, as my coworkers and I tried to go about getting our work done, we quickly realized just how much we rely on the internet to do our jobs.

Just simple things such as typing up the community calendar, getting a graphic for an ad or obtaining information via email, all require the use of a working internet connection.

Even while typing up this column, I realized I need the internet to look up more detailed information about the nation-wide CenturyLink issue, which has caused our problems.

I’m relying on information provided from my coworkers about the specific details of the problem.

From what I understand and will confirm later when the internet is back up, all CenturyLink internet customers across the United States are experiencing internet problems.

Why?

I don’t know, but I am sure we’ll find out later. We did however discover that as the day went on our phones also went down. Our telephone service is also through CenturyLink. What’s one to do without phones or internet: write a column.

As I sit here reflecting on the situation. I realize how spoiled we all are to have internet access. Instead of grabbing my Webster’s New World College Dictionary, which is literally within arms length of me, I have become used to just searching Webster’s online version.

I also can’t help but realize why old newspaper offices used to have television sets, scanners and a radio all going at once.

I’m sure it must have been pretty distracting until one got used to it. However, I think the reason all of those things were needed is so they could get all the news they could because it wasn’t just one click away.

We are so spoiled today. We have information available to us 24 hours a day and seven days a week as long as we have an internet connection.

I can recall how when I was a child my friends and I would argue for days about who was right on some issue or other. We would often go home and present the issue or question to our parents who would either validate or correct what we thought. My friends and I would then talk to each other about what our parents said. Sometimes this resolved the issue, but sometimes the parents were split and the argument would continue for a week or two. Now if there is a disagreement, people just Google it. Problem solved. No more arguing.

Unless one brings up the validity of the website were said information was obtaining and then more Google searches ensue to settle the argument once and for all.

Even though I have come to the realization of how dependent I am on the internet and that’s pretty depressing, I still can’t wait for the issue to be resolved.